the performing arts club
by Thego
Summary: when five first years meet on the hogwarts express and discover they all share one interesting commonality: performing arts, they immediately form a tight friendship. harry potter/victorious crossover.
1. M-U-S-I-C

Andre stood against the wall, silently forming a plan as to how he would get from where he was to the Hogwarts Express. The train was just a couple feet from him, but the obstacle separating him from it was a thick sea of parents and children, and with three heavy bags carrying his belongings, the journey looked impossible.

Then he saw a familiar face among the massive crowd. It was the girl he had met at Ollivanders, while waiting in line to get a wand. He had liked her. She was… different. Not really one of the friendliest people he had ever met, though. He desperately tried to match a name to her face. "Uh… J- Jade!" he called, trying to get her attention.

It worked. The brunette's head whipped around and she scanned the crowd before she saw him. He flicked his head upwards in a 'sup' gesture. She gave him a brief smile and turned back to an older woman he could only assume to be her mother, exchanged a brief word with her, and collected her suitcase from the small boy who had been carrying it. Within the minute, she had slipped through the crowd and was standing beside him.

"Hey Andre," she greeted, a bit breathless from her walk, cutting a man who shouldered past her a razor-sharp glare with her blue eyes and shoving back before turning back to her friend. "You came here alone?" she asked, noticing his lack of parents.

"Yeah, see, my Grandma can't-" he was cut off as the 15 minute warning whistle blew.

"Come on," Jade said. "Don't want to get left behind on our first day," she snatched one of his bags, getting a firm handle on it before starting to break apart the crowds of lingering kids and their overemotional parents. Andre followed behind her, feeling lucky she was so aggressive with the crowds.

As they reached the train's entrance, Jade had to stop to catch her breath and switch carrying hands. "Dang dude," she commented as she heaved the luggage up and began walking up the steps. "What did you put in this bag?"

"Oh, that's just my keyboard," Andre replied with a glance at the case before boarding the train after her.

Jade stopped walking and turned around to look at him. "You play?" she asked, her eyebrows raised with interest.

"Yeah, I-"

"KEEP WALKING!" shouted an irritable senior from behind them. Jade fixated a glare on him.

"I'm walking because I wanna walk," she said shortly, turning back around and continuing to walk down the hallway, searching for an at least semi-empty compartment.

The search went on for a while. The next four cars they passed were all full. Finally, Jade stopped at one door and nudged Andre. "This might be the best we can get," she said, sliding open the glass and walking inside, where an awkward looking boy with curly hair and glasses was sitting rigidly by the window, holding a toad in one hand.

"Cool if we sit here?" Jade asked.

"Uh- yes, okay," the boy replied, scooting over more than necessary and watching them as they walked in. After shoving all their stuff up in the racks above, Jade took the seat beside the boy with the toad, Andre sat opposite them.

There was a pause. "I'm Andre," he introduced himself.

"Jade," Jade added.

"My name is Robbie," the boy replied. "And this is Rex," he said, pointing to his toad.

There was more silence. Jade rolled her eyes up to the ceiling while Andre tapped his foot. Suddenly Jade sat up, remembering something. "So you play the keyboard," she reminded him.

"Oh, yeah. I've been playing since I was five, and I'm getting pretty serious about it," Andre replied, looking comfortable talking about his favorite hobby.

"That's cool. My mom has a thing for antiques, our house is full of them. We've got a SX Ingens in our den, and sometimes I'll play it."

"An SX Ingens? Oh, like, magic brand?" Andre looked less engaged.

"Yeah… why, what are _you_ talking about?" Jade furrowed her brow.

"Wizard piano's are just a cheap imitation of muggle brands. Muggle pianos are an overall better quality, sound, and feel. No offense," Andre added.

At first, Jade looked as though she was trying to decide whether or not to be offended. Then her expression cleared and she sat back, fixing her eyes on him, a mischievous smirk growing on her face. "Prove it."

Andre grinned. "Gladly. Hey, uh, Robbie? Can you hand me that black case above your head?" he asked.

"Sure!" the boy replied, jumping up and setting his toad down on the seat between him and Jade. He fumbled for a moment before he was able to pry the suitcase Andre had requested out of the racks. Barely managing to refrain from tripping, Robbie handed him the case and sat back down.

"Thanks…" Andre had just begun to open the case when there was a light knock on the door and a boy with tan skin and fluffy hair poked his head in the compartment.

His eyes flickered briefly past Andre and Robbie before settling on Jade, sending her a subtle smile before turning to Andre. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked.

"Go ahead," Andre moved his keyboard case to the floor to empty up enough room for the boy. "You're just in time. I was just about to show those two why a muggle piano is better than a wizard piano."

"Lets here it," he replied with a shrug. Andre cleared his throat and positioned his hands, determined to impress his audience of three. Then, he began to play. The first few notes were slower, then he began to pick up the pace as he got a melody going. The two boys nodded along to the music he was making. Jade simply sat back, the faintest smile forming on her face.

Andre looked up and caught her eye, trying to read her expression. Then he stopped playing.

"Nice!"

"That was amazing!" Robbie added.

"Well, Jade?" Andre raised his eyebrows. She looked away and rolled her eyes. She was spared from having to speak when the door swung open again and a small girl with red-velvet hair burst into the room, carrying immense amounts of energy with her.

She stopped for a moment, her brown eyes shining with excitement as she caught her breath. She was staring at Andre. "Was that you?" she asked, pointing to the keyboard in his lap.

"The music? Yeah," Andre said with a smile. "You like it?"

"LOVE! That was amazing! I love music," she said, sitting down between Robbie and Jade. "I'm Cat."

"I'm Robbie."

"Andre."

"Beck."

"Jade." They introduced themselves in a round.

"Well? Play something else!" Cat demanded.

Andre shrugged. "Sure." He began a different melody. This one went on a while. A few minutes later, he stopped and looked up, receiving a round of applause from his audience. "Jade, you've been awfully quiet," he said smoothly.

Jade rolled her eyes playfully. "You've got a gift," she admitted.

The next few hours went by quickly. As it turned out, they were all first-years, and they all had a gift in performing arts. Andre wanted to be a musician, Jade had a thing for acting, Cat wanted to be a singer, Beck aspired to become an actor, and Robbie had a thing for stand-up comedy. And so, the five had a lot to talk about.

"You know what?" Cat gasped. "We should join an arts club!"

After exchanging a few looks, the group nodded along. "I'm sure in a school this big, they're bound to have one," Andre reasoned.

"So its decided," Jade said. "Once we get to school, we'll try and find more information and clue each other in on it."

There was a knock on the door. "Hey, we'll be at Hogwarts in thirty minutes, so hurry up and get your robes on," the prefect said before she left down the hall to go notify the others. The five of them grabbed their stuff and headed down to the changing compartments.

Twenty-five minutes later, they were staring out their window at the majestic school in front of them. "Wow," Robbie said.

"This is pretty incredible," Andre added.

"Its so much bigger than the picture!" Cat exclaimed. After the train stopped, they made their way out of their car, dropping off their luggage where they were told to and walking outside, where there was a crowd forming. They stood together, a bit confused, until the same prefect tapped Beck on the shoulder and pointed him towards a wirey man off to the right. As they walked towards him, they could hear him yelling,

"FIRST YEARS, OVER HERE! ALL FIRST YEARS, FOLLOW ME!"


	2. The Sorting

The Black Lake glistened underneath them, reflecting the image of the newly emerging stars on its surface, splashing gently against the sides of the rowboats as the first-year students were carried towards the castle. Andre was holding up a lantern to light the path in front of his and Robbie's boat, feeling it tip slightly as Robbie leaned over one side to get a better view of their new school. Andre wedged his foot under a loose plank and hoped they wouldn't capsize. Soggy and gross wasn't exactly how he wanted to make his first entrance at Hogwarts. He glanced over at Jade's boat, but she looked too calmly captivated by the giant building looming ahead of them to notice him. He managed to catch Beck's eye and exchange a look of amazement with the boy sitting behind Jade. There was no denying it, Hogwart's was absolutely breathtaking, and the view they had of it from the lake was chilling. A few boats behind them, Cat could barely keep all her excitement and nerves inside, not noticing how violently she was making her boat rock.

As the boat's self-docked on the shore, the gameskeeper got out and began helping the clumsy out of their boats while everyone else was left to fend for themselves. Once they were all standing in front of the majestic building, he began to herd them forward. "This way." They entered through a door that had remained unnoticed up until this point, and filed into a stairwell dimly lit with torches.

"This place is so… medieval," a voice hissed in his ear. Andre whipped his head around to see who had crept up behind him, finding Jade standing directly behind him, closely followed by Cat, Beck, and Robbie. He had forgotten their agreement to stick together until they were separated.

"Wouldn't it be so cool if we were all put in the same house?" Cat chirped happily.

"Don't get your hopes on it," Andre replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Cat gasped in offense.

"He's saying its pretty unlikely all five of us will get sorted into the same house," Beck backed him up.

"Almost impossible," Jade added with a grimace.

"Right," Andre nodded. Cat frowned, sighing her disappointment.

As the stairs began to level off, they saw a middle-aged man with light copper skin standing there waiting for them. The group of first-years formed a cluster around him. He waited for them to quiet down before beginning to speak. "Welcome to Hogwarts, everybody," he said with a bright smile. "My name is Professor Alexander, and I'm the deputy headmaster at this school, I'm also the Head of Hufflepuff. Most people just call me Lane, whatever you feel most comfortable with. Now, in a few moments, you'll be sorted into your houses. Its a very simple procedure, we have this old hat we'll put on your head, and it'll tell you want house to go to. Your house will be your family at Hogwarts for the next seven years. You'll live in its dormitories, support its quidditch team, and compete against the other houses for the Yearly Hogwarts House Cup. Once your house is announced, you're to walk to your appropriate table and wait for everyone else to be sorted. Any questions?"

A blonde girl raised her hand timidly. "How do we know which table to sit at?" she asked.

"Slytherin sits on the far left, then Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw on the other end. If you get confused, your table is probably the one cheering for you," he replied with a smile. "Alright! If that's all the questions, follow me into the Great Hall."

Lane led the way into the dining room. Everyone gaped at the ceiling, the colorful decorations, and the massive amount of people as they were lead between two long tables and up to the front of the Hall. Once they reached the corner opposite the professors, they formed a clump and waited for instructions. Jade slapped Andre's arm lightly, pointing to a rusty looking pile of fabric perched on a stool in the middle. "Is that the sorting hat?"

"What else could it be?" Andre shrugged, staring at it for a moment before turning his attention to the crowd of older students watching them.

Just then, the sorting hat began to sing, _"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The room erupted in cheers for the Sorting Hat's song. Lane stood up and stopped behind the stool. "When I call your name, please come and sit on the stool," he repeated his instructions and picked the hat up. "Aegrid, Kelly." The shy blonde girl who had asked the question stepped forward.

"RAVENCLAW!" the sorting hat boomed as it was placed on her head. As one side of the room broke into shouts of approval, the girl skipped off stage and scampered to sit down with the blue table. This was how it went on for a while. Finally they were to the H's. As Thomas Harley moved to the Gryffindor table, Lane called up the next to be sorted.

"Harris, Andre!" Clearing his throat to deal with his nerves, he walked forward and gave a nod to Lane before smiling a little out at the crowd and taking a seat on the stool. He felt the smooth fabric of the old piece of clothing enclose his head. "Hmm…" it pondered. "How about, yes, perfect, GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted. The red table burst into applause. A group of kids parted for him to sit between them as he reached the table. He grinned as he was congratulated by smiling faces around him.

Andre watched and waited as first-year after first-year was sorted. Finally, someone else he knew was called up.

"Oliver, Beck!" Andre watched as his recently made friend was anointed with the hat.

"Ah…" it drew a pause. "SLYTHERIN!" it announced. The table in the corner began to cheer. Beck walked over to the green table, taking a seat across from where Andre was sitting at the nearby table, exchanging a brief shrug before Beck was engulfed in congratulations from his fellow Slytherins once more. The two boys waited a bit more before, "Shapiro, Robert!" The curly haired boy sat down. "RAVENCLAW!" the hat roared. Andre winced a little, but he wasn't too shocked by that decision. There were still two more to go. Maybe Cat or Jade would end up in Gryffindor.

"Valentine, Caterina!" Cat leaped to center stage, unable to keep still as she waited for her house to be announced. There was a 3 in 4 chance she'd be with one of her friends from the train. "HUFFLEPUFF!" She paled a little until she heard the shouts of encouragement from the yellow table. Then she smiled widely and sprang down, racing towards her new house.

Three more kids were called up after her. Now there were only four unsorted students standing in the corner. Most of the room had lost interest, absorbed in their own side conversations. But there was still one person in their group who hadn't been sorted yet.

"West, Jadelyn."

From their places evenly distributed throughout the tables, Beck, Andre, Cat, and Robbie looked up to watch Jade's sorting. With one in each house, she didn't have to worry about not knowing anyone in her group. Slowly making her way to the front, the brunette sat down and looked up as the hat was lowered onto her head. "SLYTHERIN!" the sorting hat shouted immediately. Brushing her hair back as the hat was lifted from her head and making her way towards the table, she accepted a high-five on her way down the row. Beck moved over to make room for her on the bench and she turned around to look at Andre, catching his eye and smirking. She had predicted she'd be placed in the most troublemaking house of the four.

After the other three students had been sorted, the headmaster stood up and began to speak. Although he tried to listen, Andre began tuning him out about half-way through. His stomach was growling from lack of food, and he was still muttering through his disappointment that no one else had been a Gryffindor. Oh well. He was bound to make some new friends, and he could still hang out with those four around campus.

As the speech came to an end and food appeared in front of them, a student sitting beside him elbowed him. "Hey, kid. Andrew."

Andre turned to look at her. "Its Andre," he said with a polite smile.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," she held up her hand, clearly not interested. "You look bummed out. What, like you wanted to be in one of those other houses?" she scoffed at her words, clearly showing a bias towards her own house.

"Oh, nah, its just, none of my friends are in Gryffindor.." Andre explained.

"Oh… yeah. Believe me, I get that," she nodded along with a slight chuckle. "Two years ago, I was best friends with this girl, Zoe Shay. She got sorted into Ravenclaw. Haven't spoken to her since."

"Not even once?" Andre asked, feeling that was a bit ridiculous.

"Nope, why should I? In Gryffindor I can find brave, courageous friends," she laughed. "Besides, this school enjoys keeping the houses away from each other as much as possible."

Andre thought about this. He was pretty sure this girl had some screwed up logic, or she was just exaggerating. Either way, it sounded as though there was some truth in what she had said. Maybe it was too much trouble keeping up with multiple friends from multiple houses. He shrugged, it wasn't like he could only have those four friends though. Of course he could make some Gryffindor friends as well.

"I'm Trina Vega, third year," Trina interrupted his thought train.

Andre worked up a smile and forced himself out of his thoughts. "Well, congratulations, Trina," he joked. "You're my first Gryffindor friend."

"Oh…" she winced a little. "Okay. But if anyone asks— I don't know you."


End file.
